Spirit of Ditlou Conservation Project: A Story of Purpose, Integrity, and Real Conservation in Zululand By Jake Lee Coetzee Founder of Adventure Lifestyle Magazine

Over the past five years, I’ve been fortunate to work on various conservation-related projects. Some small, some impactful, some quietly meaningful. Each one taught me something. Each one deepened my respect for the people who dedicate their lives to protecting wildlife and wild spaces.

But this project?This is on another level.

Working alongside Mathias Stegeman and Arthur Harding, the founders of Spirit of DiTlou Conservation Project, is without question the biggest and most significant conservation project I’ve been part of to date. And working with a leading conservationist like Mathias is not something I take lightly — it’s genuinely an honour.

Not because of reputation or titles, but because of the integrity behind the work.

They don’t treat wildlife like content.They don’t treat conservation like branding.They treat it like responsibility.

And that changes everything.

Adventure Lifestyle Magazine has been brought in to run the project alongside them and form part of the conservation and documentary team. That means we’re not standing on the sidelines observing. We’re involved. In the field. In the planning. In the real work behind the scenes.

This isn’t about hype.It’s about doing it properly.

Where the Spirit of DiTlou Conservation Project Began

Spirit of Ditlou was founded by Mathias Stegeman and Arthur Harding at Somkhanda Game Reserve in Zululand, and there couldn’t be a more fitting place for a project like this to take root.

Somkhanda doesn’t feel performative.It doesn’t feel curated.It feels real.

Right now, we’re actively building something incredibly exciting — but also sensitive. Conservation work involves real lives and real risks, which means not everything can be shared publicly yet. What we can say is this:

This project is grounded in:

• Real conservation work

• Real ethics

• Real education

• Real community involvement

• Real people who genuinely care

The focus is on topics that actually matter in conservation:

• Wildlife education

• Anti-poaching awareness

• Ethical culling and the difficult realities of conservation

• Reserve management

• Endangered species protection

• Sustainable eco-tourism

• Community upliftment and education

Not the romanticised version.The real version.

Our Role in the Project

Spirit of Ditlou is the vision and foundation of Mathias Stegeman and Arthur Harding.Our role, through Adventure Lifestyle Magazine, is to run the project with them and responsibly document the journey.

That includes:

• Being actively involved on the ground

• Working alongside rangers and conservation professionals

• Helping shape the educational side of the project

• Building the documentary and live conservation platform

• Making sure the storytelling remains ethical, respectful, and honest

We’re not here to exploit conservation for attention.We’re here to protect the integrity of the work while sharing it responsibly.

That balance matters.

You Don’t Have to Be in the Bush to Care About the Bush

One belief we all strongly share — Spirit of Ditlou, Somkhanda, and ourselves — is this:

You don’t need to be a ranger to care.You don’t need to live in the bush to make a difference.You don’t need a big platform to matter.

You just need to care enough to show up in whatever way you can.

Whether you’re:

• A photographer

• A guide

• A conservationist

• A student

• A sponsor

• A donor

• A storyteller

• Or simply someone who loves wildlife

There is space for you here.

The Live Conservation & Documentary Project

We’ll soon be launching a live conservation and documentary platform broadcasting directly from Somkhanda Game Reserve and partnered reserves.

Not staged.Not scripted.Not designed for spectacle.

Real.

This will include:

• Daily and evening live safaris

• Real conservation moments as they happen

• Conversations with rangers and experts

• Behind-the-scenes realities of reserve life

• Honest discussions about difficult conservation topics

• Stories about the people and communities behind the work

This isn’t about entertainment.It’s about understanding.

Because people protect what they understand.And they can’t understand what they’re never shown.

Gratitude Where It’s Due

We want to sincerely thank:

• Mathias Stegeman and Arthur Harding for their trust and leadership

• Somkhanda Game Reserve for hosting the project and serving as home base

• The rangers, conservationists, and professionals involved behind the scenes

This work belongs to everyone putting their time, energy, and heart into it.

We’re simply honoured to walk alongside them.

If This Resonates With You

We are genuinely open to:

• Collaborations

• Reserve partnerships

• Ethical sponsors

• Educational institutions

• Wildlife creatives

• Donors supporting the NPO

• People who want to get involved in meaningful ways

If this speaks to you — reach out. Not for exposure, but for impact.

That’s who this is for.

Contact

Jake Lee CoetzeeFounder of Adventure Lifestyle Magazine📞 0760448257📧 jake@adventurelifestylemagazine.com🌍 www.adventurelifestylemagazine.com

Mathias StegemanCo-Founder — Spirit of Ditlou📧 mathias@spiritofmadikwe.com